Nearing the annual NATPE convention in Las Vegas, syndicators are locking down deals
for fall.
Twentieth Television has renewed Are You Smarter Than
a Fifth Grader for a second season.
Tribune, Fox and Local TV all picked the show back up for
fall, giving it clearances in the top five markets and beyond.
Fifth Grader also airs in primetime on Fox-owned
MyNetworkTV, an arrangement that the network likes, and on cable network CMT.
That multiplatform run provides the show with solid financials.
Meanwhile, CBS Television
Distribution has cleared its Swift Justice with Nancy Grace in more than
90% of the country for fall. Stations from the following groups are the latest
to sign on for two years: Freedom Communications, Mission Broadcasting, Grant
Communications, New Vision Group, Communications Corp. of America, Cordillera Communications
and Gray Television, Inc. Swift Justice
has been cleared in all top 50 markets, says Joe DiSalvo, CTD's president of
sales.
Swift Justice is the only
new first-run show from a major syndicator to be a firm go for fall, although
Litton Entertainment also has secured key clearances for its resurrection of Judge
Karen's Court, which is a new version of the court show distributed by Sony
two years ago. Swift Justice is cleared on stations for all-barter in
two year deals. The other show that has a definite slot next fall is NBC
Universal's off-Bravo Real Housewives, which also was cleared in
all-barter deals.
